Bible Thoughts

August 5, 2001

This passage is referenced to passages from Isaiah and Hosea, prophets of God. They lived during a time that the Hebrews had many problems with surrounding nations. Idolatry and immorality spread from the heathens to infiltrate those who belonged to God. The problem with the Jews was their being influenced by their neighbors. The practices of the idolaters appealed to the Hebrews. The prophets constantly warned them of the danger of becoming like the “nations round about.” While the Babylonian captivity taught them many lessons about fraternizing with the enemy, they were not fully cured of the tendency to follow those who did not honor the God of Israel. While the Jews of Jesus day were not classic idolaters, they did not fully appreciate the Laws of God and made for themselves the commandments of men. The Lord said as much in Matthew 15:7-9, “Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, This people honor me with their lips; But their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me, Teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men.” In the present generation, only by an unwavering respect for the commands of the New Testament can one please the God who created each one of us.

In order for one to please the Lord, a separation from the commands of men must occur. As the surrounding nations influenced the Israelites, so we can be swayed by the appeal of doctrines that originate within the fertile minds of men who ignore the scriptures. The denominations of today are denominations because they follow, as did the Pharisees and Sadducees, the commandments of men. Not one teaching or practice that is peculiar to any and all denominations can be proved from the New Testament: all fail the test of “What saith the scripture?” They have not and cannot prove from the will of Jesus Christ their doctrines and practices. This writer has never met one denominational preacher or member who can take the Law of Christ and prove their positions and teachings. Denominations do not belong to God, but to men.

In order for one to please the Lord, a separation from the apostasies that lead men away from the principles that guided the church of the first century must be evident. The Roman Catholic Church is a result of an apostasy from the truth. The “Christian” Church is another example of departure from the truth. At the present, the institutional movement has carried many churches away from the truth. The continued digression continues as they blindly race to become nothing more than a denomination among denominations. Many of those congregations have thrown down the sword of truth and embrace teachings and practices for which they have not one ounce of Bible authority. The warnings of faithful gospel preachers and elders fell on deaf ears as their human institutions and denominational practices overshadowed any respect for the truth of God’s word. The pleading of faithful Christians went unheeded as they continue to march, becoming what men desire, not what God required.

In order for one to please the Lord a separation from the ways of the world must occur. The world exercises a great influence upon all of us. It is a daily battle for one to be able to withstand the strength of the influence of the ungodly elements of today. We are bombarded with ungodliness in the writings of men, the media, and the examples of those who know not the Lord and follow not His ways. Over the past fifty years, the deterioration of morals and a disrespectfor righteous conduct has claimed too many Christians(one is too many). Sin has been dressed up in an appealing garment and sold to those who have not been strong enough in faith to resist Satan’s attractions. But sin has not changed, only some folks. Sin is still ugly, vicious, cruel, repulsive, and will send a soul to Hell! Christians are not to be so influenced by the world and its attractions to the degree that the sight of heaven is lost in the darkness of iniquity. Christians don’t think like the world; Christians don’t behave as the world; Christians don’t talk like the world; Christians don’t dress like the world; Christians are separate from the world and its vices. Christians remember the words of John, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vainglory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world”(I John 2:15-17). Has it not occurred to us that we are different because we are Christians? And that difference will carry us to heaven!

Let us, dear brethren, keep the old gospel plow moving. Let us plow deep and wide. Don’t cut and cover. Plow every inch of ground, and then the church will have fewer unconverted men and women in it.

Don’t try to add men and women to the church. God will do this if the material is all right. I fear there are many in he church, so to speak, God didn’t place there. Let us be careful how we build. Let us look more to quality than to quantity. Don’t beg people. If you once begin this way, when you cease begging, they will go to pouting. Don’t try to pull them in; if you do, when you quit pulling, they will backslide. Don’t try to fiddle people into the church. If you do, when you quit fiddling they will fiddle out.

Just preach the gospel plainly to the people and keep right on preaching the gospel. Fill the honest heart full of truth and such will obey. Dishonest-hearted people the devil will keep and God can’t reach them. Preach the gospel and be happy; and never say quit. -Henry Devore, Christian Leader, 1915 via the Sower.